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1983 Toyota RN34 Hilux - Abracadabra II

The Sorcerer's Return

By John Mata Jr., Photography by John Mata Jr.

Mini Truckin', July 30, 2013

Take it easy—you haven't missed a thing. The reason the story of Abracadabra I hasn't been told yet is because the tale was never finished, even though it was started some 20 years ago. Chris "Lucky" Brewer began this novel (now turned legend) in the most humble of beginnings back before the complications of adulthood introduced themselves. But it was the same complications and hardships, along with a few windows of opportunity that have brought about a spell's end—or assisted in bringing it to its highest level of potency. The conclusion is subjective based on how the plot is interpreted.

Back in 1991, Lucky's parents handed him the keys and title to a less-than-desirable car but was soon sold behind their backs to fund the purchase of a pickup truck. The make and model pickup in particular was an '83 Toyota Hilux—the very same seen here. After scraping some change together it was painted the exact color it is now, with a similar Sorcerer Mickey Mouse mural inspired by Disney's 1940 film Fantasia. During a long chat, Lucky tells us "I spent two years on the road taking the original Abracadabra to shows on the East Coast, but retired it once I learned that my first kid was on the way. I bought a four-door car, and started tearing the truck apart—man it was built. It was air-shocked on 17s, had a razor roadster window, and tons of shaving and molding. A few years into the build, the truck met its fate during life's obstacles and a few ordeals with a couple shops. The truck was eventually torn into pieces, parted out, and the cab was drug behind a four-wheeler to my unknowing. I just can't understand the joys of being destructive." And just like that; POOF—the magic was extinguished.

"Sometimes life takes you from a hobby, and sometimes it takes a turn and brings you right back to it," Lucky continues. Over a of 24-month span, he lost his brother, went through a divorce, found the true love of his life, and bought another minitruck after going through a handful of vans, wagons, imports, and performance cars throughout the course of several years. "It only felt right to build another minitruck. I found a good-looking Toyota out of state, and to my surprise, my mom hopped online and bought it for me as a gift. My life was back on track, and nothing was standing in my way." After reuniting with a few minitrucker friends from the past, Lucky found himself answering quite a few unanswered questions about the original Abracadabra. The more he reminisced about his first Toyota, the more he felt the necessity to rekindle his vision. "Most people hated the idea of me starting where I left off, and I couldn't understand why.

Whether you like it or not, the '90s style minis are part of our history, and I planned on incorporating a modern touch to my throwback project. Never let anyone pull you from a plan despite what hateful things they have to say."

The interest in the old school aesthetic has really started an upward trend in the last year or so, and a build like Lucky's couldn't have come at a better time. Capturing the essence of a time gone by is one thing, but gathering the scarce parts to make it happen proved to be a whole other dilemma. The endless hours of searching and the spending of any available funds took its toll on the Brewer household, and there were moments of what seemed like pure wizardry, "I bartered, traded, hustled, and rolled pennies for most of what you see. One day, I walked out to the shed where my dad stores tons of junk, and found the original grille and headlight bezels from my old truck just hanging on the wall!" Finding these parts that were considered long gone years ago may seem like a small occurrence in the grand scheme of things, but it helped keep Lucky's hopes and spirits high—especially because of how much his old truck was influencing the new build. "Most of what you see here is what I wanted in high school. This whole thing has haunted me for 20 years. Sometimes I walk out to the garage and just laugh. It's crazy to think the idea that lived in my head for more than two decades is right here."

Most people hated the idea of me starting where I left off, and I couldn’t understand why.